1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming method using a stripping transfer technique which utilizes a process in which an adhesive material is formed in an image pattern, and particularly to an image forming method which transfers an image transfer material to an image receiving material through the adhesive material to form an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A stripping transfer technique is one technique for forming an image on a receiving member such as paper or the like. The stripping transfer technique is a technique in which a transfer member (toner sheet), in which a transfer layer including a pigmental toner which serves as a transfer material is provided on a surface of a substrate, is superposed on a receiving member (receiving sheet) such as paper or the like. A latent image is formed in an image pattern on the toner sheet. The toner formed in an image pattern is transferred onto the receiving sheet, and the image is formed on the receiving sheet. This stripping transfer technique includes forming a latent image in an image pattern with heat provided by a thermal head from a back surface side of a substrate of a toner sheet; sublimating a toner to transfer the same to a receiving sheet; melting a heat-meltable toner and fusing the same to a receiving sheet; generating adhesiveness at an image receiving layer of a receiving sheet by heating and fixing toner on a toner sheet to the image receiving layer; and the like.
Also, as a method for forming an image on a receiving sheet, there is a method which employs an ink-jet technique in which ink is discharged as droplets by mechanical energy, without heat recording. In the ink-jet technique, an ink head is formed by: a plurality of linearly disposed nozzle holes; an independent discharging chamber which communicates with these nozzle holes and in which a portion of a wall at one side of the chamber serves as a diaphragm; a piezoelectric element mounted on the diaphragm; and a common ink cavity which supplies ink to the discharging chamber. The diaphragm is mechanically flexed by application to the piezoelectric element of pulse voltages based on image data. The volume of the discharging chamber increases and decreases due to diaphragm flexing. Thus, momentary changes in pressure within the discharging chamber are used to discharge droplets from the nozzle holes, and an image is formed on a receiving sheet.
One image forming method using this ink-jet technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2632087. This is a method for forming a photo-cured image by ejecting a substance which enhances or lowers photo-curing sensitivity from an ink-jet head onto a photo-curable film in a patterned form, and then performing exposure of the entire surface of the photo-curable film.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 11-70633, a method is disclosed in which droplets of a cross-linking agent are applied to a recording layer including a cross-linkable material in an image-wise manner by an ink-jet technique. Portions of the recording layer where the cross-linking agent has been applied are cross-linked and cured. Portions of the material that were not cross-linked are removed by washing and an image is formed.
However, the methods recited in Japanese Patent No. 2632087 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 11-70633 are methods for causing changes in the physical properties of a film on which an image is formed in an image pattern by the ink-jet technique. Therefore, there is a problem in that a material which exhibits such a change in physical properties must be selected, such that applicable materials are limited. Further, in the method recited in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 11-70633, a so-called liquid developing process is required, in which uncross-linked portions of the cross-linkable material forming the recording layer are removed by washing. Therefore, there is a problem in that a cross-linkable material and an image receiving material which can withstand the liquid processing must be used, such that applicable materials are further limited. Further, there are problems in that it is impossible to comply with requests for reducing processing and materials such as cleaning liquids and the like which are used in processing.
The present invention was made in consideration of the above-described problems. In other words, an object of the present invention is to widen the range of materials which are applicable for an image forming method that employs an ink-jet technique, and to enable reduction of developing process steps or the like and omission of a cleaning liquid and the like used in those steps. Also, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method using a stripping transfer technique which performs stripping and transfer efficiently and provides an image which has high image quality and high homogeneity.
As a result of keen study, the inventors of the present invention found an image forming method, as described below, using an image pattern forming material containing an adhesive material which neither affects the performance of discharge at a nozzle of an ink-jet head nor deteriorates droplet formability.
A first aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image comprising the steps of: (a) discharging an image pattern forming material containing at least one kind of adhesive material in accordance with image data onto one of a transfer layer surface of a transfer material and an image receiving layer surface of an image receiving material; (b) closely contacting the transfer layer surface and the image receiving layer surfaces against one another; and (c) peeling off one surface from the other and portions of the transfer layer along therewith due to the effect of the adhesive material, thereby forming an image on the image receiving material.
A second aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the adhesive: material is dispersed in solid form.
A third aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the adhesive material includes a material having adhesiveness.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the adhesive material includes a thermoplastic material, which softens when heated and becomes adhesive.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the thermoplastic material has a glass transition point, the method further comprising the step of heating to a temperature in a range at least equal to the glass transition point and to no more than 100 degrees C. greater than the glass transition point.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, wherein the step of heating is performed during the step of close contacting.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the adhesive material includes at least one copolymer resin selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resins, ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer resins, and olefin copolymer resins.
An eighth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the adhesive material comprises from 0.1 to 100 percent by weight of the image pattern forming material.
A ninth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the transfer layer is formed on one surface or both surfaces of a substrate, and the transfer layer contains polyvinyl butyral.
A tenth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image comprising the steps of: (a) disposing a substance in accordance with image data on a first material to thereby form a first image on the first material; (b) adhering portions of the first material in accordance with the first image, to a second material; and (c) transferring said portions from one material to the other material to thereby form a second image, which is a visible image, on said other material.
An eleventh aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the step of adhering portions includes close contacting the first material against the second material and applying heat.
A twelfth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the step of transferring said portions, includes peeling off the one material from the other material.
A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the step of disposing a substance, includes providing a substance comprising a thermoplastic material, which softens and becomes adhesive when subjected to heat.
A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the step of disposing a substance, includes providing a substance comprising at least one adhesive material.
A fifteenth aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an image comprising the steps of: (a) disposing a substance including at least one adhesive material in accordance with image data on a first material to thereby form a first image on the first material; (b) close contacting the first material against the second material; and (c) peeling off one material from the other and portions from one material in accordance with the first image, to thereby form a second image, which is a visible image, on one of the materials.